MATT TURNER
Special to The Leader
Wow, what a move from Universal Pictures to even consider distributing this movie.
For those that do not know, Craig Zobel’s political satire, “The Hunt,” was actually slated for release in September of 2019 — but the studio decided to delay the premiere due to recent shootings and political outcry.
Guns in movies are always a touchy subject, with notable examples including “The Matrix” around the time of the Columbine shootings and the posters for “Jason Bourne” causing an uproar within everyday people and celebrities like Lena Dunham, who are anti-gun.
When the plot of this film was announced, a film about liberal elites hunting “deplorables,” I knew that the controversy would definitely cause either a delay or a shortened theatrical run.
However, Universal seems to be taking it in stride as the new marketing for the film focuses solely on the outcry against the film’s controversial content.
As for the film itself, its satirical approach will definitely piss off the majority of its audience by attacking both sides of the political spectrum.
I was genuinely surprised that the film acted as a double-edged sword against liberals and conservatives.
This is a breath of fresh air in an era where satire is either seen as too edgy and without real substance, (certain YouTube comedians) or too lazy and dull as in the case of Alec Baldwin portraying Donald Trump in the most simple way possible on “Saturday Night Live.”
“The Hunt” is already receiving mixed responses due to its very over-the-top portrayals of gun-toting conservatives and white savior liberals, and these responses are well-warranted.
These responses are necessary and they show that the film serves as a perfect representation of what satire is and why we need it.
If satire doesn’t piss people off, then is it really even satire?
Buttons need to be pushed in order to make change in real-life.
“The Hunt” is definitely a movie that I have been excited about for a while now, and it definitely lives up to the hype.
No matter what your political views are, I strongly urge that you check the movie out and most importantly: talk about it.
Despite some odd lines that are too on-the-nose, the over-the-top style of satire ultimately won me over and this movie will stick with me for a while.
I would rate this move 8.3/10.
Due to recent directives for the general public to quarantine, many films including “The Hunt,” “Sonic the Hedgehog” and “The Invisible Man” are now available for streaming early at home through paid 48 hour rentals.